Undermines the Hyde Amendment. The adoption of the health care compact will undermine the Hyde Amendment, opening the door to federal funding of abortions.  While current federal law prohibits states from using Medicaid dollars to pay for taxpayer-funded abortions there is no guarantee that this will continue if the states and Congress adopt the compact.  The Hyde Amendment - which prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortions as part of Medicaid - is codified annually as part of the law that funds  Medicaid. By giving states the power to override all federal laws “regarding Health Care” - as the compact does - a state that adopts the Compact could override the Hyde Amendment by operation of state law.  This would open the door to the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions in certain states.  So far, pro-life groups have been strangely silent on this cause and effect.

Opens Door for Free Health Care for Illegal Aliens.  The adoption of the Compact will lead to states extending health care benefits to illegal aliens.  Just as the compact undermines the Hyde Amendment, it also undermines provisions of federal law that limit the ability of illegal aliens to access federal health care benefits.  States could use the compact to override aspects of federal law, including the 1996 Welfare Reform Act that prevents illegal aliens from accessing many federal welfare benefits, including Medicaid. In doing so, a state could also unwittingly undermine our nation’s immigration laws, thus creating a magnate that further encourages illegal immigration. It is worth noting that the HCC’s funding formula actually rewards states that have adopted policies to create magnates for more illegal immigration. The Compact adjusts state payments based on population growth and that formula fails to exclude illegal aliens from the population adjustment.

These are just two more reasons that Americans should oppose the health care compact.

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